Before cupcakes, whoopie pies and French macarons became “it”
desserts on TV cooking shows, in food magazines and across the
blogosphere, there was plain old cake — and we liked it.
The classic dessert is put on a pedestal beginning Friday, when
the Celebration of Cakes kicks off at SanTan Village in Gilbert.
The three-day affair will feature up to 180 cakes displayed
throughout the shopping center for visitors to vote on, and three
master cake artists will build large, sculptural cakes before an
audience.
“It’s celebrating everything cake is,” says SanTan Village
spokeswoman Jennifer Olson. “Cake is such a staple of everyone’s
life, whether it’s birthdays or anniversary or graduation parties
or someone leaving the office. We all eat cake at some point in our
lives.”
The live cake challenge will mimic popular cake-off style TV
shows on TLC and The Food Network, with bakers creating cakes at
least 4 feet wide and 5 feet tall, with one moving element.
Cathy Monascalco, a third-generation baker and owner of
Caketini, the SanTan Village bakery sponsoring the Celebration of
Cakes, says people will get to watch as cake artists pull off many
of the same over-the-top techniques seen on TV.
But, she says, home bakers who rely on boxed cake mixes
shouldn’t be intimidated. They’ll find $5 educational workshops on
everything from basic cake-making to creating cute characters from
fondant.
“People can go in and learn different techniques. For instance,
they’ve got a session on how to make cake pops, which are like
lollipops but with cake. We’ve got experienced cake artists
teaching you things you can pick up and start doing at home with
your very next cake,” says Olson.
There’s also a Cupcake Creation Station, where visitors can
decorate and take home their own cupcake for $10.
The Celebration of Cakes is the inaugural competition of the
Cake and Sugar Arts Association, a new cake enthusiasts’ club
launched by Monascalco. Most events are free. Partial proceeds from
fee-based activities will benefit Save the Family Foundation of
Arizona, which helps families rise above homelessness and achieve
lifelong independence.
“Cake is not only comfort food, but for our family, it’s
tradition,” says Monascalco. “It’s traditions, and it’s fun, and I
think that’s why it’s taken off with so many people. It’s good to
eat, but it’s also this hobby or art form where you can be creative
and create something fun and something really special.”
• Contact writer: (480) 898-6818 or azajac@evtrib.com